# Accident 20130118001799A: Cessna 150J, Tulare, CA, January 18, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 18, 2013, 14:00 local time
- Place: Tulare, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0244° N, 119.0578° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0244&lon=-119.0578&mi=10
- Aircraft: N50690, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N50690-2018-03-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 150J (registry code 2071820, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-150j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-200 series (registry code 17020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 150J
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-200 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 88 total, 51 in this make and model, 54 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA103) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130118001799A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT DEPARTED THE PORTERVILLE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 0830 LOCAL TIME TO MAKE THE FLIGHT FROM PORTERVILLE (KPTV) TO HAYWARD (KHWD) TO MADERA (KMAE) AND BACK TO KPTV. THE PILOT HAD CALLED HIS INSTRUCTOR TO OBTAIN THE CROSS COUNTRY ENDORSEMENT REQUIRED OF A STUDENT PILOT BUT WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR THE ENDORSEMENT AND PROCEEDED TO FLY WITHOUT CONTACTING HIS INSTRUCTOR. THE PILOT EXPRESSED IN THE MESSAGE TO HIS INSTRUCTOR THAT HE WANTED TO GO TO HAYWARD TO LOOK AT AN AIRCRAFT.

THE PILOT DEPARTED WITH BOTH TANKS FULL OF FUEL AND CHECKED THAT THEY WERE FULL BY DIPPING THE TANK AND VERIFYING THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED FULL.  THE WEATHER ON JANUARY 18 WAS VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH LITTLE TO NO WIND.  THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY HAD SLIGHT HAZE AT LOWER ALTITUDES BUT VISIBILITY WAS BETTER THAN 10 MILES.  THE PILOT FLEW FROM KPTV TO KHWD AT 2,500 FEET UNTIL REACHING THE COASTAL MOUNTAIN RANGE AT WHICH TIME HE CLIMBED OVER THE MOUNTAINS UP TO APPROXIMATELY 6,000 FEET.  THE PILOT MADE A FULL STOP LANDING AT KHWD AIRPORT TO LOOK AT AIRCRAFT.

THE PILOT DEPARTED KHWD EN-ROUTE TO KMAE.   THE PILOT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION BY RADIO THAT HE MAY HAVE FLOWN INTO LIVERMORE?S (KLVK) CLASS D AIRSPACE, WHILE EN-ROUTE TO KMAE.  THE PILOT MADE A FULL STOP LANDING AT KMAE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH KLVK?S AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS; HOWEVER HIS CELL PHONE?S BATTERY WENT DEAD IN THE BEGINNING OF THE CALL.  THE PILOT LOOKED AT OTHER AIRCRAFT WHILE AT THE MADERA AIRPORT BEFORE CONTINUING THE FLIGHT TO KPTV.

THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED FULL TANKS LEAVING KPTV, JUST OVER HALF TANKS LEAVING KHWD, AND QUARTER TANKS LEAVING KMAE.   THE PILOT INDICATED THAT AT NO TIME DID THE GAUGES INDICATE A ZERO FUEL READING. A MECHANIC FOR AIRCRAFT OWNER STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE INDICATED EMPTY ON THE LEFT TANK AND JUST BELOW A QUARTER ON THE RIGHT TANK.

THE AIRCRAFT FLEW FOR 4.5 HOURS BEFORE BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE UNUSABLE AND THE PILOT MADE THE EMERGENCY LANDING.   THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES EAST OF TULARE, CA (N36.222154 W-119.270689) BETWEEN TWO GRAPE VINEYARDS ON THE ACCESS ROAD.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR13CA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA103), Jan 18, 2013: Cessna 150J (N50690), Porterville, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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